The next two weeks went by quickly for Meghan. She had been approved for the apartment at the new complex, so her days were filled with either teaching or packing. Rick had come over several evenings to help her pack, as had Kelsey on her days off. By the time Meghan was getting ready for her first shift back on the ambulance, her place looked rather sparse save for the piles of full boxes all over the apartment.

Boxes everywhere! But I think I’ll be ready for the guys when they come next weekend, she thought, picking up her keys and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She locked the door behind her, headed downstairs, and climbed into her car.

The drive to the station was about 20 minutes. I’ll be glad when the commute is shorter, too. Meghan turned on the radio and listened to music as she drove. She turned the corner to the station and pulled over as one of the ambulances pulled out, lights and sirens going, into the street in front of her. She smiled as she made her way to the parking lot, parked, and got out of her car. It was good to be back on duty!

She hauled her stuff from the car into the station and set it down on the couch until a call room was vacated. She popped her head into the office. Brandi was already there, typing away. “Good morning, Brandi!”

Brandi looked up from her computer. “Good morning, yourself. The crew you’re replacing just got called to a cardiac arrest, so it’ll be a while until they’re back. Settle in, get some coffee. Your partner should be here soon.”

Meghan nodded and headed for the kitchen. You didn’t have to tell her twice to get coffee! She filled up her travel mug and decided to head into the bay to see if the other crew was there.

She was pleasantly surprised to find Carol rummaging around in the back of the remaining ambulance, starting truck checks for the day. “Carol! How are you doing? It’s good to see you.”

Carol looked up and smiled. “Meghan! It’s my second shift back. I’m doing well.”

Meghan climbed into the rig and sat down on the bench seat. “How are you feeling? You had us worried.”

“I’m doing okay. Still get a headache occasionally and am wearing a brace from the store to protect my knee, but they let me return to work. Thanks, by the way, for taking care of me when I had the fall.”

“Oh, you’re more than welcome. Do you remember what happened?”

Carol shook her head. “I remember the class that morning and a joke that Cherie was telling, but otherwise I don’t remember anything until I woke up in the ER.”

Meghan nodded. “Concussions can do that. Who are you working with today?”

“I’m with Ronnie – he’s my EMT partner. Brandi assigned us together not long after I joined the department last month. How about you?”

Meghan laughed. “I’m always playing partner roulette. My rotations are scheduled around my teaching schedule, so I don’t have a steady partner. I believe I’m with Jerry today, though.”

Carol chuckled. “Good luck! Are you still coteaching with Fred?”

Meghan nodded. “Yeah. We’re doing 2 EMT-Basic classes this semester, and I’m helping with the medic class when I’m not on duty here. I don’t know what I’ll be doing after the semester is over, though.”

They heard footsteps in the bay, and Jerry soon peeked his head in the back of the rig. “Morning, ladies. Squirt, what did you do with our rig?”

Carol laughed. “They got toned out to a cardiac arrest as I was coming in,” Meghan explained.

“Ah, gotcha. I’m going to get some coffee.” Jerry gave a little wave as he headed back into the building.

Carol shook her head and chuckled again. “You’ll have your hands full with him today.”

“Nah, I’ll be good. We’ve worked together so many times. Besides, he believes he’s babysitting me today, so I’ll keep him on his toes.” Meghan stood. “I’m going to go refill this cup and let him regale me with what he’s been up to. Wanna go to breakfast with us after our truck returns?”

Carol nodded, picking up her clipboard. “Sounds like a plan. I wonder if the fire guys would want to join us?”

Meghan nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll call over to the station and ask.”

The phone rang, and Meghan headed inside, leaving Carol to continue her truck checks.

Jerry was on the phone when Meghan entered the common area. “Yeah, sounds good. Hopefully will be there within the hour. Sure. See you soon.” He hung up and made his way over to the coffee pot, where Meghan was doctoring a fresh cup. “That was the fire boys. They want to meet up for breakfast this morning, in about an hour, if our truck is back by then.”

Meghan chuckled. “I was thinking of calling them and extending the same invite.” She sampled her coffee and put the lid on the cup. “I’ll update Brandi if you’ll let Carol know. Oh, Ronnie!” she exclaimed, as he entered the room. “The fire guys have invited us to breakfast in an hour.”

He smiled as he set down his bag. “Sounds good to me. Is Carol here yet?”

Meghan nodded. “She’s working on truck checks in the bay.”

“Good. I’ll pass on the news.” He picked his bag back up and headed towards the bay.

Meghan and Jerry stopped to listen as the radio crackled with the other crew notifying Dispatch they were enroute back to the station. Jerry nodded at Meghan, and headed out to his vehicle to bring in his personal gear for the day. Meghan made her way down the hall to the offices.

“Hey, Brandi. The fire guys called and extended an invite to breakfast in about an hour.”

“Sounds good to me – I’m getting hungry. How are you feeling today? Excited to be back?”

Meghan nodded. “Excited and a little nervous. It’s been what – 3 months or so?”

“Eh, you’ll do fine. Don’t forget to chart vitals for me after your calls today. Just time and date and readings on a piece of notebook paper is fine – it’s not going into a chart or anything, just the shredder at the end of the day.” Brandi looked at her meaningfully.

“Yes, ma’am. Jerry knows about it, right?”

“Does Jerry know about what?” he asked, rounding the corner.

“I want a set of vitals taken at the end of every call with her today, and every shift for the next couple of weeks.” Brandi glanced at him, eyebrow raised.

“Ah, yeah, we had that conversation. Guess what, squirt? You’re stuck.” He smirked, but looked at her with concern.

Meghan sighed. “I’m fine, I promise. But I guess I’ll behave and let you smother me anyway.”

Brandi chuckled. They heard the sound of an ambulance backing into the bay. “Go check your truck, and I’ll see you at breakfast.”

Forty-five minutes later, the fire and EMS crews were crowded in their favorite restaurant. Meghan had been triumphantly welcomed back to the rotation and all kinds of jokes about having to do real work ensued. She laughed them off and traded her own barbs.

It was an enjoyable time, and one she had been looking forward to for a while – it wasn’t the same when out on medical leave.

Meghan was halfway through a stack of pancakes when the tones sounded. Medic 21, respond to 1414 Sunset Square Road for a shooting. PD is enroute. 1414 Sunset Square Road. Time out: 0847.

Jerry acknowledged the call as Meghan took a final quick drink of her coffee. Hands slapped them on the back as they headed out of the restaurant and to their waiting ambulance. Jerry climbed behind the driver’s wheel, turned on the lights and sirens, and pulled out onto the road. Meghan pulled out a pair of gloves in his size and handed them to him, then pulled on a pair herself. She mentally thought through gunshot wound treatment as they drove, looking out for traffic snarls ahead of them.

Police waved them into the scene, indicating it was safe for them to enter the area. Meghan hopped out of the truck, opened the side door, and grabbed the trauma pack. A police officer came over to meet her.

“Hey! It’s not a big rush. Your patient shot himself in the foot with a nail gun.”

Meghan slammed the door shut and stopped. “What?”

“Yeah, a nail gun. Guy’s got a carpentry nail sticking out of his foot. Guess he decided to test it out before using it.”

Meghan shook her head, and headed back towards the back of the house, where workers were remodeling. The foreman met them at the doorway and gestured to a man sitting on the floor.

“Bruce is our new guy. Guess he thought he had to prime the nail gun or something. Anyway, he’s got a nail sticking out of his foot now.”

Meghan thanked him and approached Bruce. “Bruce, is it? I’m Meghan, I’m a paramedic. What’s going on today?”

Bruce looked up at her, and it was apparent that he was hurting. “I accidentally shot a nail through my foot, ma’am.”

Meghan nodded. “That must hurt,” she empathized. She looked at his right foot, which had a long carpentry nail sticking out of the boot. “I’m going to leave the nail in place for the ER to remove, okay?”

Bruce nodded.

“We’re going to get you on the stretcher, and get you into the ambulance. We’ll take some vital signs, and then we’ll get you to the hospital for them to get that nail out.” Jerry brought the gurney close, and they helped Bruce get settled on the cot. Carefully working their way through the lawn around the house, they got the cot back to the ambulance and loaded it inside.

“Need anything?” Jerry asked. Meghan shook her head no, so he closed the doors and started driving them to County Medical’s ER.

Having delivered their patient and cleaned up the ambulance, Jerry shut the truck doors and motioned Meghan to take a seat. “C’mon, let’s get your vitals.”

Meghan sighed but acquiesced. “I still think this is overkill.” She held out her arm as Jerry wrapped a blood pressure cuff around it.

He shrugged. “Probably, but if you gotta, then it’s best to get it over with.” He put his stethoscope in his ears and took the reading. He removed the stethoscope, put the pulse ox on her finger, and wrote down the readings. “118/78, pulse 86, resps 16, and pulse ox 98% on room air. You’ll live, squirt.” He removed the equipment and packed it away.

“Yeah, I’ll live,” she agreed. “Let’s head back to the restaurant and pay for our breakfasts.”

Jerry nodded. He hopped out of the back, headed for the driver’s door, and climbed in. Once Meghan was in her seat, he turned on the truck and drove to the restaurant to settle their bills.